Rainbows and Butterflies
by ladyjadeite
Summary: A Happy Saint Patrick's Day holiday themed story featuring Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang. oneshot. chodric, cedriccho, chocedric


**A/N:** One-shot / short piece. Enjoy!

0

_"It is a bit o' the Irish luck."_ the buzz around Hogwarts circulates, commenting to the fact that it finally stopped raining on the day of Saint Patrick. _"It's the leprechauns... I bet they're related to the house elves..."_

Whatever the reason, Cho is happy to step away from the green and gold glory of the Great Hall and onto the misty grounds outdoors. A sunny day in March is a rare commodity, one to be cherished, and Cho fully intends to marvel in all of its splendor. With broom in hand, she surveys the horizon, her smile growing as wide as the rainbow shimmering beneath the clouds.

It is not surprising that this is where Cedric finds her, pausing in his steps as he practices his speech. They're just _friends_, fellow quidditch seekers, he reminds himself. So why does get butterflies in his stomach when he sees her? He isn't sure, but he quickly buries the thought and pulls out a shamrock from his robes.

"Happy St. Patrick's Day!" He says, startling her slightly. She turns to see him standing next to her, the shamrock lifted as if it was a rose he was presenting. "For luck."

She grins and accepts his gift, pinning it to her jumper. "I thought only four-leaf clovers were lucky."

"Well..." He points at each leaf. "The first leaf is for hope, the second for faith, and the third is for love. If there was a fourth leaf, it would be for luck."

He gives her a lop-sided smile. "But I believe you are your own luck, Ms. Chang."

"Then, would you care to go flying around the Pitch today, Mr. Diggory? We can test your luck theory out there." She teases, suppressing the sudden quell of her own feelings. They're just _friends_, and that's _it_, she reminds herself.

"I have a better idea." His eyes glint like liquid silver. "Let's follow the rainbow and see where it leads."

"Cedric, you _do_ know that the rainbow is an optical illusion..." She raises her eyebrows. "That it will always be out of reach..."

"Such skepticism doesn't fit you, Ms. Chang." His grin never slips.

"Cedric..."

"I'll race you to the gold." He grabs his broom, mounting it before she can protest. She shakes her head at his silliness and does the same.

The wind carries his laughter to her ears just as if he were sitting beside her instead of a couple paces in front. She calls out to him. "You _do_ know there is NO gold, right?"

She pulls up parallel to him, and he throws another grin at her. "Of course. It is whatever you want it to be, whatever you're searching for."

He zooms ahead of her, following the prismatic stream of light. It is as if the goddess Iris laid a trail to where the leprechauns play. And leprechauns he saw.

Cedric's eyes widen, and he maneuvers his broom to the end of the rainbow. Leprechauns? Surely, he must be imagining them. But, no, there they were. Dancing around a pot of gold. Gold? Cedric blinks.

"Cho!" He calls to her over his shoulder. "Look!"

But as he turns back, his broom trips over a large boulder, sending him sprawling onto the grass below. Cho lands quickly, and races to his side, her heart pounding in her throat. How he could think that the dark boulder was a big pot, how he could think yellow butterflies were pieces of gold, all of that escapes her mind.

"Cedric!" She grabs him by the shoulders and tries to hoist him up. "Come on. It wasn't a bad fall! You can't be hurt!"

He answers her with a groggy groan.

"Thank Merlin!" She cries out, hugging him instantly. When she realizes her actions, she pulls away and wipes her face.

He coughs as the dizziness disappears, and props himself upright with his arms. His eyes open to the sight of her, and he does a double-take. No, this can't be. He rubs his eyes, blinks hard, and reopens them to find it is indeed true. Right there, right before him, she sits. Smiling anxiously, the breeze twittering with her hair as golden butterflies flutter behind her head.

Cedric returns her smile with one of reassurance. "I'm fine, Cho."

She can't help herself, and hugs him again. It surprises him slightly, but he doesn't say anything. He wraps his arms around her tentatively, and when she doesn't pull away, he hugs her just as warmly. He smiles against her cheek. Who needs gold when he has this?

End


End file.
